Shiva Sever Jiver Seva

[Guest guest]

Sri Ramakrishna Charanam Saranam: Sri Sri Ma

Dear Tarak,

Congratulations for your noble thought. It is our Compassionate Lord, who has implanted a noble seed of compassion to the poor in you. But before embarking on any plan, please equip yoursel for that. My humble suggestions are listed below:

1)You are fortunate in a way as you are staying in Calcutta, where the first Saint in the modern times gave the clarion call of serving the poor as a service or worship equal to the worship of Lord Shiva. I am refering to our Swami Vivekananda.

2) It was there in Calcutta, that Sister Nivedita was cleaning the streets and lanes of the city by her own hands during the early decades of 20th century according to the instructions of her Guru Swami Vivekananda. That was during the notorious plague time of the last century. She had a dozen of friends and well-wishers to co-operate with her and thousands to oppose her. When that noble saint was cleaning the streets by her own hands, the calcutta people ridiculed her and even dumped garbages in the street in front of her to humuliate her. But she was undaunted. She made miracles. You must be knowing about her better than me.

3) It was in Calcutta, the monks of the Ramakrishna Order organised many projects to serve the poor in a very systematic and professional way as a means of worship of God. They taught us that if pouring water on Shivalinga is a divine worship to Lord Shiva, it is also a divine worship to serve Shiva in the living human beings..

4)Again it was in Calcutta that Mother Teresa just finished her divine duty of serving the Lord by serving the poor.

5)All the above points tell us to equip ourselves to be ready for a noble cause. If you have doubts, read the works of Swamiji, especially those on Karmayoga. Or maintain a good relationship with any of the like-minded monks of our Order. Then just start doing by your own. Somebody, who are very Indian should start to do something in this line. We have everything in religion. But we never had that practical acumen to translate our noble thoughts into vibrant projects. You may face stiff opposition from even those Howrah station poor lots! It is a tough task. But who knows? If Calcutta streets can create a Mother Teresa, it can create a "Father Tarak" or "Brother Tarak" also. If the Divine Force behind the works of Sister Nivedita, Ramakrishna monks and Mother Teresa are with you, you will work wonders. I send all my best wishes and prayers for your noble intentions. Jai Ramakrishna!

Prakash